At Firenze SNB we came out of the café with 20 mins to spare. I looked on the board and our train wasn’t there. Hmm. At information they told me it was leaving from Frienze Rifredi- which actually I should have known because we got off that stop coming in and had to take another train to arrive at Firence SMN. When I got the ticket in Venezia I asked for Florence. I don’t understand why the woman gave me a ticket destination not for the main train station but, the one the one before it. The train for Firenze Rifredi was at 1.27 and was a few minutes ride. Though the connecting train was at 1.36, and I didn’t know what platform it was leaving on. The clock ticket as we got off and I found the platform. It was a bit of a run as the train pulled in as we reached the platform.
The train arrived at Venezia S. Lucia at 4.45. It was a walk over 3 bridges until we reached the bus stop. Then finding the ATVO ticket office for the tickets to Treviso Airport. A glass of wine and a meal later we were ready for the bus for Treviso. But, it was full, so we took our luggage out and got on a 2nd bus.
We got to Treviso early and there was a long queue for the check in. After the lounge we were at the boarding gates. As the 10.25 flight was nearing everyone got up to go. Except nothing happened and gradually, everyone started sitting, and lying on the floor. The announcement came that their would be more details later as the flight was delayed due to technical faults. After another 40 mins they announced that the flight had been cancelled. Moans, groans, queues and telephone calls ensued. A list of hotel was given out. I texted work to tell them I couldn’t make it and got some temporary cover. I booked a hotel for us and another family. We got a cab. We were charged £11 for a 5 minute ride.
I stayed up to have a few glasses of chilled Merlot and chatted with the owner of the hotel. The hotel had been in his family for 6 generations. He had wanted to Ski but had an injury when he was younger. He wants to teach skiing now but he is running the hotel full time. I tried a Port cum Sherry type wine. A chocolaty berry sweetness mellowed the taste buds.
In between either my dad snoring or my mum snoring, I got about 3 hours sleep. In the morning after breakfast, we took a bus down the road to the airport where we met with the same faces at last night.
For 10 mins after becoming airborne we flew over a vast array of snowy mountains… Timeless and majestic, they made me forget about the last 22hrs of travelling hurdles.
- J
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